Harry Potter and the Serpent War
by Foz
Summary: Officially abandoned. My plans for this died when HBP came out. Set in the 6th Year, after OotP, Harry is in private auror training, and he is investigating a disappearance of a deadly snake, and is given a Parseltongue book of magic. HT
1. 01 Escaped

**Harry Potter and the Serpent War**

**Chapter 1**

**Escaped**

Harry ignored the glares of his Aunt and Uncle. He had explained to them that Voldemort was back and that he was watching the news to see if there was anything "unusual" happening to the muggle world that people couldn't explain, as this was most likely a death eater attack, but would be ignored by the wizarding news, as they kept out of muggle affairs. Begrudgingly, they allowed Harry to watch the news, as long as he was "quiet and didn't do anything weird". This suited Harry fine; half an hour of the news a day, and he was completely ignored.

            "Also, just in, one of the most venomous snakes in the world, the Inland Taipan, has escaped Greater Whinging zoo. Leo Lovegood reports."

            "The Inland Taipan is an extremely rare animal, as it is a shy animal that stays out of the way. One that has been bred in captivity was transferred for Greater Whinging zoo yesterday, but has somehow managed to give the keepers the slip. If you do see this snake, do not approach it, but do not panic. It will not attack of its own accord, due to its shy nature, but if provoked then it will defend itself. Call this hotline-" 

            Harry watched the zoo on the TV intently, and noticed that another snake was there – the boa constrictor! The must have caught him again after Harry had accidentally freed him. Shaking his head, Harry checked the time, and got up headed for his room. Harry was going to have a bit of fun, but he needed to know if leaving the town was safe for him without an escort. He was after all, a big target.

            Harry had been given a requestor device that was magically linked to a speaker over at Grimmauld Place in case Harry needed to contact someone immediately – if anyone was at the Order's Headquarters. Tapping it on the top three times, he sat an his bed and waited. Less than a minute later, a young woman with vibrant pink hair and a pigs snout for a nose appeared.

            "Tonks! I haven't see you for ages!" declared Harry, giving her a hug.

            "Wotcha Harry! I believe that you wanted to see one of us?"

            "Yes, I was thinking of going to the zoo today, but it's in Greater Whinging, but I don't know if it would be safe for me to go on my own, so I just wanted to check."

            "How would you be getting there?"

            "Using a muggle bus."

 "That _is_ safer than the Knight Bus isn't it?"

            Chuckling, Harry replied, "_much _safer. People actually have to qualify as being a safe driver."

            "Hmmm… I take it there is a reason for you wanting to go and visit the zoo?"

            "Yes, I want to go and have a chat to few snakes."

            Sheer horror covered her face, "_what?_"

            Puzzled, Harry had to ask the question, "Did no one tell you that I'm a Parselmouth?"

            "No! I'm going to kill Dumbledore for not telling me. He does know doesn't he?"

            "Of course, after the Chamber of Secrets in my second year, I thought everyone would know."

            "Chamber of… Ok Harry? I'm just gonna be a couple of minutes. I need to _talk _to Albus." With that, Tonks disapparated.

            A few minutes later, Tonks reappeared looking a bit disgruntled, but with a normal nose this time. "Ok, now that is sorted out, I just have one final question: what are you gonna do if people catch you having a conversation in snake language?"

            Harry blinked at the question, "Well… I can be careful so people don't see me… um… Tonks?"

            Tonks eyes narrowed shrewdly, "yes?"

            "Do you fancy coming to the zoo with me?"

            "Why is that Harry?"

            "I may need your obliviating skills to help me just in case… please?"

            Tonks smirking replied, "well, I was going to do that anyway, in case of accidents – but as you have cordially invited me, of course I'll go."

            "Thanks Tonks, you're the best."

            "Since I'll be going with a fifteen year boy. What form should I go in? If I look old enough to be your mother or grandmother I'll look a bit odd…"

            "Well, you could always make yourself look fifteen like myself."

            "But people will think that I'm your girlfriend!"

            "Hermione is the same age as me and she isn't anything like a girlfriend!"

            "Okay… but I have a feeling that I'm going to regret this…"

            Tonks features changed, and her look of mid twenties was replaced with the look of a teenager. "What about the pink hair?"

            "Do you want to attract  attention to yourself or not?"

            "No…"

            "Well, then… lets see… straight, long, dark red hair – let see how that looks."

            Tonks hair changed colour and grew in length. Harry was looking her over. Yes she would fit in now, but she did look great. Harry would have a difficult time keeping his eyes off this version of Tonks. Not that _he_ was complaining. "Tonks, you look fantastic!"

            "Really?"

            "Really. Now are you ready for a bus ride?"

            "If this is as remotely sickly as the Knight Bus, I am going to kill you – agreed?"

            Laughing, Harry agreed which he rummaged through his truck for some muggle money that he had requested to be exchanged from his wizarding money to buy some new clothes. Tattered jeans with no means of magically repairing them simply had to be replaced. He still had quite a bit of muggle money left over.

            "Okay, lets go!"

            As Tonks and Harry walked over to the zoo, she commented about sending the Knight Bus staff to the muggle courses for bus driving. A muggle bus ride was actually enjoyable in comparison to a lot of wizarding transportation methods. It was slower, but it didn't have the side effects of making you want to vomit every second of the journey. For once, Harry was enjoying himself. He was with a friend, doing something that they could both participate in, yet it was dangerous enough to try and not be caught. That was when Harry's good afternoon had it's unexpected turn.

            "Oi, Harry, have you gotten yourself a _girlfriend_?" a voice bellowed.

            Rolling his eyes, he turned to face 'Big D' and his cohorts, he was just about to reply when Tonks with a malicious smirk, snaked her arm around Harry's waist, pulling them close.

            "Of course he has," she purred, "which girl wouldn't with his reputation? Unlike your reputation of course." She looking him up and down, and then all the way left and right before sneering, "I mean, who would want to be seen with someone is stupid, fat, slow, and hasn't got anything to boast about. Harry on the other hand is smart, well built, fast and most definitely has something to boast about."

            Harry smirked and caught on, turning to her and continuing, "Well, you are a terrific snake charmer." They both looked at each other and started to snigger while Dudley opened and closed his mouth looking like a bright red fish, while all of his friends laughed and hooted at Dudley.

            Walking away, Harry commented, "Look, Dudley is about to come waddling and hit me in a minute, so you may just want to move yourself out of the way before he arrives. He is very good at punching."

            "Harry, just turn around is punch him in the chest, I'll do a Banishing Charm for when you hit him, it will just make you look really strong and make him look stupid."

            Harry grinned at this suggestion and they continued to walk until they felt a waddling earthquake approach them. Harry spun around at the last instant, fist flying, and it connected to Dudley's chest. Dudley flew backwards into his friends who tried to catch him, but ended up being a crash mat for him instead.

            "Dudley, just go and leave me alone… with my _girlfriend_. Before I do you some serious damage." Harry said over his shoulder walking away with Tonks who was laughing so hard that she was leaning on Harry for support.

            "Come on, I want get to the zoo before it closes."

Harry paid for himself and Tonks, and took one of the free maps of the zoo. He was just about to say something when he realized that Tonks wasn't with him.

            "Tonks?"

            "Harry! A little bit of help please?"

            Harry spun around and saw Tonks trying to come to terms with a turnstile.

            "Move forwards, and just ignore it."

            An amused Harry watched Tonks gingerly press forward and stumble out of the turnstile, glaring at it. "What _are_ they for Harry?"

            "Oh that's just to stop people who haven't paid, the guy at the counter presses a release lever to let the turnstile turn freely when people have paid."

"And if people don't pay and make a fuss?"

"Security is called. Now then, the reptile and snake house is on the far side of the zoo, so we might as well and enjoy ourselves–" Harry cut himself short and withdrew his wand very surreptitiously. He could have sworn that he heard a very quiet wooden "crunch". Looking over to the area where he thought he heard it, he had confirmation. Harry wandered over to an area hidden by trees, whirled around, and jabbed his wand at the air. "Moody, you'll have to do better than that. The gravel gives you away. Now you can either show yourself and come along, or use a spell to hide your wooden leg prints."

Mad-Eye Moody appeared out of thin air, with a silver cloak in his hand, looking extremely pleased. "You're learning quick. I can tell that you're gonna be a great Auror, you're more perceptive than you let on. However, you moved your arm a bit too much when withdrawing your wand over there, although you kept your wand well hidden after that."

Harry grinned at the praise. Indeed, Mad-Eye took a great interest in the fact that Harry wanted to be an auror, and then took him on personally to train him in perception and stealth, something that is a large part of an aurors training that requires no magic. It required skill. Once someone has perfected the muggle methods of perception and stealth, when that person's natural abilities are aided by magic, they are even better at not being noticed than people using invisibility cloaks. Thus Harry had been in training every time he left the house, and even once in the house. Tackling Moody in his bedroom at two in the morning was definitely something that took out his frustrations. 

From then on, Moody had been Harry's invisible companion, and Harry didn't feel as frustrated doing nothing. He was being trained, and trained hard, but he knew that Sirius would want Harry to do this, and do it well. After all, if he had approached the Room of Prophecies with stealth, things may have had a different outcome. Like the Death Eaters not detecting them, plus it was something that Harry was planning to teach to his DA students.

"Okay, lessons over for the time being, now come on, I need to have a chat with an old friend." Said Harry, leaving taking an impressed Tonks with him, and leaving Moody to decide for himself just what he was going to do. Glancing over his shoulder he saw that Moody had disappeared from sight. Harry sighed, obviously Moody had different ideas of when his "lesson" was over for the day… or night.

"Do you know that I didn't even notice that Mad-Eye was there? I'm supposed to be an Auror!"

"Yeah, but did you get personal tuition from Moody, that extended in attempting to hex you in your bed when your asleep?"

"He does that?"

"Oh yeah, well, after his first attempt, he decided that he was too old for it. Especially after I body tackled him across the room. He actually had to obliviate the Dursley's to stop them calling the police as I'd caused that much noise in stopping him."

"It sounds as if he likes you – he rarely does that to his own personal students unless they're his favourites."

"Tonks, keep talking about him, he can't say anything as he's trying to stay hidden, plus he's walking right next to me."

"What have I missed now Potter?" a gruff voice snarled out.

"You're too close while you're trying to listen in on Tonks gossiping about you. I can hear the rustle of the cloak, plus I can see the gravel produce foot prints that disappear almost immediately."

Tonks laughed, "You're creating a student that can beat you Mad-Eye, that isn't like you at all!"

"I'm not doing this," growled Moody, "he's a natural. All I'm doing is testing him. In fact, I think what Mr Potter is about to do now would be an excellent test of his stealth capabilities. Look at that!"

Harry and the two Aurors came to a halt outside the Snake entrance of the reptile house. Police, security guards, zoo staff, reporters, sight seers because of the news report, plus the extra mixture of the normal visitors. All in all, very busy.

"Um, Mad-Eye? Should we go and get some reinforcements for obliviating in case Harry gets discovered?" enquired Tonks.

"That might be a good idea. I'll go and get some trainee obliviators, give them a bit of practise, just in case." Moody growled before stomping off.

"Okay then, oh _boyfriend _of mine," Harry shot Tonks a smirk, "what is thy grand master plan with so many people?" Harry's smirk widened. She had just given him an idea. "Uh oh, I sense that I'm not going to like this…"

Harry's expression changed into a faux innocence. "Oh, but you _will_, oh _girlfriend_ of mine… at least you will if you are what you say you are…"

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well, the staff, security and reporters are tied up with the police while they are trying to sorting out what happened to the missing snake. Therefore, the only people that are going to be going near the other snake houses are the ordinary visitors. So, to get rid of them, we get all clingy, while I talk to the snakes, and lo and behold, people then avoid us. That should buy us a little "privacy" time.

"Well planned, oh _boyfriend_. I can't believe that I'm agreeing to this…"

"Well, I can only put it down to my Potter Charm…"

Tonks swatted him playfully. "Careful Mr Potter, I might actually enjoy this if your charm is fully vamped up, then you'll never get rid of me, I might want more…"

Harry flushed red at the thought. Indeed, this version of Tonks was someone that could easily distract his blood flow if he wasn't careful. "Um… ah… W-w-ell…" 

Tonks sniggered, "Gotcha!"

            After a momentarily correcting his stumbling mind, he thought, _Two can play at this game…_ "Okay Nymph, lets go!"

            "I am _not_ a Nymph!" she grumbled following Harry into the serpent house, "my name is Nymphadora!"

            "Nymph by name, but I'd prefer to find out the hard way if you're a nymph by nature." Harry calmly replied, doing his best to keep a straight face.

            "_Harry!_" she spluttered. Harry turned to face her with a huge grin on his face. Nymphadora Tonks had turned bright crimson, and the heat radiating off her face was rivalling that of the sun.

            "Gotcha!" Harry wrapped his arm around her, "come on wildcat, I need to talk!"

            "W-w-wild c-c-cat? N-n-nymph? Just who have you been talking to?" Tonks demanded.

            "So it _is_ true then?" A spluttering Tonks who couldn't put a sentence together, was all Harry needed before his straight faced mask cracked while he doubled over laughing. "Gotcha twice!"

            Tonks then realised that he had been teasing her with something he had made up, and she had just voluntarily dug herself deeper into the hole. She snapped her mouth shut, and waited for her face to cool down.

            As Harry entered the snake house, he realised that something was wrong. Something was very wrong. In fact it was a debate that he had walked in on. A debate held by serpents.

            "I'm telling you, thisss isss not the way to go!"

            "But we would be free of thessse cagesss, no more humansss pessstering usss by rapping on the glasssss."

            "We would not sssurvive outssside without thessse cagessss. It issss too cold for ussss."

            "We could be transsssported back to our original homessss."

            "That issss true, but mosssst of us do not know how to hunt. We have been brought up and fed. We would not ssssurvive without the humanssss."

            "Harry, what is going on?" asked Tonks.

"Well, we seemed to have walked in on a debate. Although this works to our advantage. The hissing snakes seemed to have scared most of the people off. Just one moment while I find out what is going on." Harry turned to the nearest snake, "Excuse me, what is going on?"

This simple question halted all the hissing in the serpent house. Every single snake turned to look at Harry. "You ssspeak ssserpent language?"

Harry nodded, and a Spanish accent spoke up. "I recognissse that voice... come over here."

Harry walked over to where the boa constrictor was. "Ahhh it isss you amigo, asss you can ssssee, I wassss caught and brought back again. How wassss that plump human after I ssssnapped at his heelsss?"

Harry smiled broadly at the memory. "He was terrified, thank you."

"You're welcome amigo… and just who isss thissss you have brought with you? Your mate maybe?"

"No, she is here to make sure that if I get caught talking in snake language, they don't remember. Also if I get attacked, she is here to protect me."

"Why would ssssomeone want to attack you?"

"There is a dark wizard called Voldemort-"

Harry was cut off abruptly by the serpent house hissing again. "Thissss issss who the wizzzard spoke of!"

Harry ignored them and continued, "as I was saying, Voldemort tried to kill me when I was a baby, I survived with just this scar, and he didn't. Now he is back and trying to finish me off. I'm a marked man, so I need people to watch my back."

"I will watch your back amigo, but asss you walked in on a debate whether to join Voldemort or not, I think you may be beneficial to the processss."

"Ssssomeone isss coming!" a snake near the doors called out.

Harry swept Tonks into his arms, and whispered, "someone's coming."

"What is going on Harry?" Tonks asked in Harry's ear, while she snaked her arms around him.

"Voldemort is trying to persuade all of the snakes to join him."

"Voldemort is here?" asked Tonks worriedly.

"No, otherwise I would have felt my scar burn, this debate is whether these snakes should join him or not."

Harry waited, and eventually saw some visitors approach, and then leave once they saw the couple's arms entwined around each other. Waiting a bit longer Harry finally heard, "the coassst is clear."

Harry loosened his arms, but Tonks didn't move. "The coast is clear Tonks."

"I'm comfy," she murmured.

"Tonks, please, this could be important."

"Alright, alright. You're a spoilsport, you know that? I'm going to go and check for Alastor." Reluctantly, Tonks loosened her arms and headed for the doors.

"Amigo, are you sssure that ssshe isssn't your mate?"

"Quite sure. Now who is putting the case forward for joining Voldemort?"

"He came here lassst night to assssk if we would join him in desssstroying a boy and the humanssss that keep ussss captive in return for freedom. He ssssaid that he would give usss time to think about it."

"Does the missing Taipan have anything to do with this?"

A snake with a black head, and dark tanned skin slithered out of one of the darkened corners. "I am sssstill here. I hid mysssself away from the Dark Lord."

"Why did you hide?"

"My kind wassss created by the Dark Lord over twenty yearssss ago. We are basssed on the Runesssspore, Bassssilisssk and the Fire Ssssnake. The Dark Lord combined our three bodiessss, and bassssed ussss on the coastal taipan, ssssimply becausssse that wassss the mosssst venomoussss ssssnake. Unfortunately, the Taipan and the Runesssspore and the Fire Sssssnake are are sssshy creaturessss, and that wassss alsssso passsssed onto ussss, it overrode the Basssilissssk's fierceness. The Dark Lord wassss dissssgussssted with ussss, and left ussss in Aussstralia to die.

"What the Dark Lord did not know issss that we can casssst magic, that isss why we ssssurvived, however we do not want to be wiped out by him."

Harry nodded, completely understanding the snakes predicament, "Your secret is sake with me." Harry turned to face the other snakes. "Just what is so appealing about killing people?"

"Freedom."

"You would kill the hand the feeds you?"

The snakes muttered among themselves, before one of them finally shot back, "what if we can feed oursselvessss?"

"Does one of you want to try it? I'll take one of you away with me, and then we will come back in a few days, and then you can decide whether you want to or not."

The Taipan spoke up, "you are much more reasssonable than the Dark Lord. Agreed. I will go with you, as I want to stay hidden from the Dark Lord. How should we go?"

Harry took off his jacket, exposing his arms, and offering his wand arm to the snake. "Wrap yourself around my forearm, lets see how that works." The snake slithered forwards, coiling itself tightly around Harry's arm, with the tail at his elbow, and the head finishing just before his wrist. "A perfect fit, and you're warm," commented the snake.

"Indeeed." Harry looked around for Tonks, and saw that she was leaning against the wall looking amused. "I can see that you don't need me to wrap around you now." She commented.

"Tonks, you're not getting jealous are you?" replied Harry with a grin.

"Moi? Jealous?" Tonks came over to him, snaking her arms around his waist, murmuring, "can I get comfy again?"

A low growl chuckled on the far side of the snake house.

"Okay Mad-Eye, you and your friends can come out now," Tonks leapt back as if she had been scalded flushing bright red, causing Mad-Eye to double over laughing, his invisibility cloak coming off., and Harry continued, "I need to see Dumbledore, we could have a very serious situation on our hands." 

"About what Harry? Tonks affection?" Moody enquired after he had started breathing properly again only to start laughing again. After a few minutes, a calmer Mad-Eye asked, "Seriously, what do you want to see Dumbledore about?"

"Voldemort has been here, and is trying to get the snakes onto his side."


	2. 02 The Book of Magic

**Chapter 2**

**The Book of Magic**

Professor Dumbledore was sat at his desk surrounded by dozens and dozens of trinkets and gadgets, pictures of old headmasters and other such things that make his office one that you could get distracted by for days, if not weeks. However, Professor Dumbledore was not distracted by his office. He was sat behind his desk in deep thought which you could only tell by the far away look in his eyes, in fact he didn't hear the first knock on his door, or the second one, nor did he notice most of the Order and Harry walking into his room. In fact the only time that he realised that he had company was when Harry simply said "Voldemort" out loud. Harry smiled at the response. Professor Dumbledore was obviously trying to make sense of Voldemort's actions, so he could second guess him, and then thwart him before he did some damage.

"Ah, I'm sorry about that, I was thinking. Now what can I help you with Alastor?" Dumbledore asked Moody who was standing at the front of the group.

"Potter has some news for you about Voldemort, Albus." Moody motioned for Harry to move forwards.

Dumbledore's eyes focussed on Harry. "You know Harry, Voldemort has been sighted at several muggle locations: Chester, London, Edinburgh. But the most worrying one is that he was quite close to you – he was also seen at Greater Whinging last night. Now as for why he was seen in muggle public places and not killing anyone, I have no idea."

"Well Professor, I can shed some light on that, but first I have a question. What sort of dangerous magic can be cast with snakes?"

"Snakes? Well, practically all other Parselmouth's were dark wizards; most of the spells that we know of are dark or somewhat dubious. So yes, snake magic can be extremely dangerous."

"I went to Greater Whinging zoo, and now you have told me about the other locations that he has been sighted. They are making sense. Okay, what damage could be caused with an army of snakes?"

"Voldemort is gathering a snake army?"

"Only trying to. The snakes are discussing it as of now. So what could happen if Voldemort has a snake army?"

Professor Dumbledore sighed, got up and walked to his bookshelves. "To be honest Harry, I haven't the foggiest idea, there haven't been any war's with serpents as far as I know. I do have a few small books that I have managed to gain hold of that discusses snake magic. However, this book," Dumbledore pulled a slim book off the bookcase before returning to his desk, "is not a normal book. This is a Parselmouth book, and I obviously cannot understand it. All it is is a table of contents. You tap with your wand over an entry and then what I assume is a lesson, starts."

Dumbledore withdrew his wand, tapped with his wand over the book. A robed figure grew out of the book, and started to speak. "Welcome to the Book of Magic. This book will teach you about magic and how to use them, from charms, curses, potions, divination. This book will also give you the history of the magic, such as how the first wizard discovered magic to actually become wizards as we know today. I will cover elemental, wild, staff and wand magic of both bound and unbound types." Finishing the summary of the book, the figure melted away. 

"Harry?" asked Professor Dumbledore gently.

Harry's eyes were wide open. Everyone was looking at him expectantly. "Um, right, Professor, do you have any knowledge of the first wizard ever?"

"The first wizard? Not really, I do know that he was somehow guided into creating a wand and then focussing his wild magic into something that we teach today, but not much is known about him or how he did it. Why?"

"That book is a book of lessons of everything that magic has to offer, including the History of Magic, such as how the first wizard discovered magic, through to modern magic."

Now everyone's eyes were wide open. Murmurs of "That's incredible!" or "That'll cover Dark Magic!" could be heard. Professor Dumbledore with a frown of concentration finally spoke, "Harry, what do you do during the day? Normally?"

"Not a lot, as there was no homework set due to the OWLs, I generally go out training my perception and stealth thanks to Moody here."

Dumbledore turned to Moody, "Alastor, how well is his stealth?"

The old Auror growled, "Good, but not as good as his perception. He needs extra practise at that."

"Harry," said Dumbledore seriously, "in a few days you will be getting your OWL results." Harry face split into a huge grin. "As such, I would like to give you a task for the order that you are in charge of." There were a few voices raised against the decision, but Dumbledore waved them into silence. "Take this book and learn everything in it. This book may have the answer that we are looking for. However, I want you to do your research in public, as stealthily as possible. Alastor may give you a few hints on how to do this later on."

Just then, the Snake on Harry's arm slithered forwards into view, startling him a little. "Issss thisss the alleged dangerous crackpot old fool that the Dark Lord talked about?" the snake asked looking intently at Professor Dumbledore. Harry sniggered at the remark until he realised that people wanted a translation. When Harry told them, some of the order sniggered, Moody guffawed, and the Professors tired face broke into a broad smile bringing back decades onto his life. "Yes I am, thank you for your directness, it was needed to lighten the mood of the atmosphere."

The snake nodded, before turning to Harry saying, "he is very powerful and wise, although you have the potential to be beyond any of your kind, including the Light Lord and the Dark Lord."

"The Light Lord?"

"This man here is the Light Lord, he stands for all that is good. Even his decisions when flawed are decided to give people as much light as possible."

Harry sobered up, before answering softly, "You are right about that, he gave me my childhood innocence however brief it lasted, he did it to shine light into my life." A couple of tears shed from Harry eyes, remembering just how he had lost his innocence, before catching himself, wiping his eyes, and apologising to Dumbledore, "I'm sorry about that Professor, or should I say the Light Lord?" Professor Dumbledore's eyes widened in shock, "I was just reminded just how you shine light into peoples lives, even if you have a flawed decision, it is only flawed to keep light shining into peoples lives and give them hope and peace. You gave me four years of childhood innocence that no one can take away from me, and I just remembered just how it was snatched away from me."

Dumbledore looked joyful, his eyes glistening, "Harry, thank you, that means more to me than you can imagine. However, I would like to know just how you knew that I'm the Light Lord."

"Don't tell him yet, you musssst learn to be your own Lord, and only releassse information when it is nesssssecary." The snake whispered, sliding back onto his arm, out of sight.

Harry winced, but realised that it was only fair, but how could he tell a lie? Then it struck him, to just avoid the question like Dumbledore had done with him after he stopped Voldemort getting the Philosophers Stone. "Alas, Professor, it pains me, but I cannot tell you just yet, but you will know when you are ready to hear it, however, it is safe that only I know how I know. No one else."

Dumbledore smiled back at Harry before getting up, and walking over to Harry, placing his arm on Harry's shoulder. "A very good answer. That was a completely honest answer, which stopped me from asking anymore questions, and it holds a promise of telling me at the time you deem fit." 

The Professor pulled out a gold ring with a Phoenix engraved on it. "Now, in case you need help with research this summer, for your task that I have given you, I have a portkey that will transport you from your home to my office, as I have quite a number of rare books, plus there is the library that you can have unlimited access to for this project. To activate the portkey, you tap it twice with your finger and say _traicio porcus‑verruca_ to come to here, and _traicio domus_ for you to return home."

Harry took the ring and slipped it on his ring finger on his right hand and Tonks took hold of Harry's shoulder, being his escort for the way home. Pressing it twice he then said, "_Traicio Porcus-verruca!_" and Harry disappeared. A moment later there was a crash followed by a few choice expletives that made the member orders wince, then there was some pounding footsteps coming up the office and Harry entered the room, followed by Tonks who was rubbing her nose. "Well, it takes me to the bottom of the stairwell. I assume that it is so that I don't interrupt any meetings that may be going on and I can just slip straight out to the library?"

Professor Dumbledore nodded, and Harry took his leave, taking the book, putting a firm arm around Tonks to keep her from falling on arrival, which gained a few raised eyebrows that Harry ignored; if Tonks fell at Privet Drive and caught peoples attention there would be hell to pay with the Dursleys. Harry tapped the ring twice before saying "_Traicio Domus_" and then feeling that familiar hook behind his navel tugging him and Tonks away.

Harry stumbled, catching hold of a falling Tonks, only to be dragged down with her, and landing roughly on the floor in a heap.

"You okay Tonks?" Harry asked.

"Um… yeah, but I find this position a bit compromising… not that I mind of course." She replied with a glint in her eye.

Harry realised that she had landed on her back, with himself lying on top of her, and their groins pressed closely together. At that thought, Harry's groin twitched causing him to jump back up as if scalded. "Sorry about that Tonks, I didn't mean-"

"Don't worry about it Harry, I know that you were trying to keep me from falling, it's my own fault for falling." She waved off, but looking disappointed at the same time. Harry looked around him. He wasn't in his bedroom. He wasn't in Four Privet Drive. He wasn't anywhere near Surrey. He was in his dorm. Shaking his head, he went and transported himself back to Dumbledore. The headmaster either had done something wrong, or he was going to be very very lucky this summer. Harry was betting on the former option.

"Come on Tonks," said Harry, reaching out for the ring, "we're in the wrong place."

"Do we have to use the portkey? I hate portkeys!" she asked, reluctantly grabbing hold of Harry, and Harry keeping a firm hold on her.

Harry activated the portkey, and landed at the base of the stairwell, this time managing to just stumble while keeping hold of Tonks. Harry was about to say something when he heard a lot of people shouting in Dumbledore's office. So instead of just going up, they waited. And they eavesdropped.

"Albus, what if he gets corrupted by the book? We can't deal with another Voldemort!"

"He isn't old enough yet, he can't even cast magic out of school!"

"He isn't part of the Order!"

"SILENCE!" Albus Dumbledore roared above the objections, quieting down the rabble. "I do realize that I am taking a risk. He may well come back to Hogwarts knowing a lot more than most people, especially in the dark arts. However, I trust Harry with my life. I trust him as much as I trust Hagrid. Harry has been through a lot, he has faced Voldemort four times. Five times if you include his encounter in the Chamber of Secrets. Each time, he has never wavered. 

"Well all know of his first encounter with Voldemort. The second time was him trying to stop Voldemort getting the philosophers stone. The third time was in the chamber of secrets, rescuing Virginia Weasley. The fourth time was at the end of the fourth task, when he made it his mission to return with Cedric's dead body, so the parents to grieve properly. Finally, Harry's last encounter with Voldemort was caused out of love of his late godfather, to go and rescue him. Do you see what I'm getting at? 

"If we keep pushing him away, he will turn against us. He was very close to that point after Sirius's death, and I have been working to remedy that. This task is just one of the things that only Harry can perform. I know that you may not like it, but please learn something from last year? Without us letting him help us, he will go and do his own thing against Voldemort. His raid on the Ministry was a case in point. He has a band of twenty plus members in his DA class, all sworn to secrecy. Some of them were around him and went with him directly to the Ministry, not even arguing his orders that kept his team alive. Harry has taught them how to fight death eaters, and that was in less than a year. Harry will undoubtedly be carrying on his DA class, especially now that there are another five members that have stood up to death eaters and survived against the odds

"My point is, if Harry turns against us, he will have followers. He has students who could take most of you on, and may even win. We have a choice, either let him help us and thereby bringing down Voldemort sooner, or we can have him work against us, making our lives difficult, if not impossible."

"But they are just students!"

Harry had heard enough, it was time to back up Dumbledore, because everything he had said was true. Harry opened the door, and slipped in. No one except Moody noticed them coming in. Then again Moody was right next to the door waiting for them. "I was wondering how long it was gonna take you to make an entrance." He muttered in Harry's ear.

Dumbledore continued, "Yes, I know that they are still students, and they still have a lot to learn, however, they are our next generation. Harry in the space eight months taught his students to fight. There is a reason why they call themselves an army. They are training to fight. That is what we are up against."

"Just what have they been learning that could make them so dangerous – surely not the Unforgivables?"

Professor Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, but Harry got there before him, "Of course I haven't taught them the Unforgivables! Do you think I'm stupid? I haven't a clue how to use them, so how could I teach them?"

Everyone spun around, just to see Harry leaning against the door with a wry grin on his face, and an angry looking Tonks. "Of course, I started off with the simple disarming charm, and from that they needed a lot of work and tempering to get them into shape. They have of course progressed rapidly, and a lot of them can do a Patronus now, although I would prefer to test them against a Dementor. 

"They know how to cast the spells, but this coming year they will need to learn just how to use the spells, where and when. At the ministry we were fine when we were altogether and I could guide them, but once we were split up, they were sitting ducks. The only person who was okay till the end was Neville Longbottom because he was with me, and that gave him confidence. Even when he couldn't pronounce the spells anymore due to a broken nose he never gave up. That is the extent of the loyalty of the DA. Are you sure that you want them against you? If not, then you have to treat us like adults. We are here to stop Voldemort, and if you will not do the job, then we will. Even if it kills us."

"Well sssspoken." a voice voiced whispered up.

"But you should let us adults deal with it-" said a man who was obviously an Auror; Harry could see several vials of potions attached to his belt. Harry cut him off before he could continue. "Shut up. You will do no better than last time. If anything you will do worse, because Voldemort is coming back even more terrible than before."

"We will do better!"

"_Really_? As far as I know, you were no further stopping Voldemort last time than you are now – if anything you are in a worse position, all you are doing is not stopping him, you are simply trying to limit the damage he can cause. Oh yeah, and just how do you intend to stop him? I believe that you must have a grandmaster plan to stop him then. Hmmm?"

The Auror muttered quietly to himself, which Harry leapt on immediate, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "What's that you say? Oh you mean that _I_ am the master plan, it is _I_ who is to go up against Voldemort." Harry's tone then changed to fury, his emerald eyes ablaze. "Just how do you think I can stand up to Voldemort? At the moment I can't face him down, I don't know enough, but I am learning. However, if you think you can defeat him, be my guest, go ahead, it's not something that I _want_ to do… What, no volunteers? Then I would suggest that you keep me on your side. If I have nothing to do, then I will work myself against Voldemort, then I will kill him, and then I will turn against you and make your lives miserable. If I can beat Voldemort, and you can't, then what hope will you have against me?"

The Auror muttered apologetically a "sorry", as were quite a few others. Harry continued, "I think you should be as well. Now, if you actually have something against me doing something for you, then think again. Raise your hands all those who speak parseltongue." Harry raise his own hand, his features turning into a smirk again. "What _no one_ else is a parselmouth? What a surprise! The only other person that I know of who is a parselmouth is Voldemort himself. Shall I ask him to learn about this book for us?"

Now everyone who had objected to Harry helping the order looked embarrassed. They had completely overlooked the fact that only Harry could help them in this respect.

"Any more objections? No? Thank you." Harry turned to Professor Dumbledore who was smiling at Harry, his eyes twinkling merrily, "Thank you Harry, you did quite a good job of that, if I say so myself. Now I assume that the reason that you are here is that something is wrong?"

"Yes Professor, when I said _traicio domus_ it took me to my dorm, not the Dursley's."

"Ah, then I was mistaken. You classify Hogwarts as your home, not the Dursley's. Pass me the ring please, I'll make the necessary adjustments." Harry handed Dumbledore the ring, and he held his wand against the ring muttered a few incantations. The ring glowed brightly for a few seconds, and then Dumbledore handed the ring back to Harry.

"There you go Harry, all done. Good luck with the book."

"Thank you Professor, come on Tonks." said Harry as he slipped the ring back on to his finger, grabbing Tonks firmly, tapped the ring twice and then said the words "_traicio domus!_" and Harry disappeared.


	3. 03 The Learning Curve

**Chapter 3**

**The Learning Curve**

            A wispy image flickered into life above a book, and then the image started to teach. 

             "This beginners section requires an understanding of what we are, and how we are made up. As is common knowledge, there are four elements: Air, Earth, Fire and Water. What is commonly misunderstood is that it is only living creatures that are made up from the four elements. These elements are the building blocks of life itself. Using the fact that-" 

            Harry tapped the book once with his wand to stop the lesson. He knew he had heard the term the "building blocks of life" before, but where he had no idea. He couldn't ask the wizarding world because he knew it was something that the muggles had termed, and asking the Dursley's would just be laughable. His thoughts wandered over to one of his best friends, Hermione Granger. What would she say? Her voice echoed up in his mind, _I've heard it before too! I'll go and look it up in the library..._ The library! Harry pocketed the book, got up and sprinted down the stairs, and in a flash was out of the door and half way down the street.

            Harry entered into the library and then come to a dead stop at the guide to find the type of books he was after. After shaking his head on all the entries since he didn't have a clue of what he was looking for, one of the librarians came up to him.

            "Excuse me, can I help you?"

            Harry turn to the librarian, "Um... well, I want to learn more about the building blocks of life. Just a basic introduction, nothing technical."

            "The building blocks of life? Oh you mean DNA! Well, if you look in the biology section, you should find what you need."

            Harry wandered over to the biology section, looked at the size of it, before going back to the librarian at the helpdesk.

            "I'm sorry, but I'm only looking for some brief details. Do you know where I can get that information from?"

            "Oh, of course, if you are just wanting an overview, then  just head for the encyclopaedias on the far end of the library."

            Harry thanked the librarian and headed for the encyclopaedia section. An hour later, Harry emerged from the library with sheaf of papers, several books and an expression of intense concentration. _I wonder what the DNA codes relate to in the terms of elements? TAGC... I wonder if there is a way to separate the amino acids and test them to the individual elements._ Harry's thoughts carried on like this for most of his walk home, except for tripping up an invisible Moody and dodging traps that the old Auror had set up without even breaking the flow of his thoughts. It was in fact the snake that now resided on Harry's arm that broke his train of thought.

            "I'm hungry, I mussst feed."

            Harry glanced up and down the street, he was only a few streets away from Privet Drive, and didn't want to take any chances on being seen talking to a snake.

            "Okay, but let me find you a safe place for you to go hunting."

            "Why do you need to find a safe place, why not here?"

            "Because there has been a nationwide alert on the lookout for you."

            "Nationwide? Why?"

            "Because of the potential risk you are to people. You are one of the deadliest snake in the whole world, so people don't want any accidental deaths."

            "Even though I don't bite anything larger than rat unless provoked?"

            "The warning went out so people don't provoke you, leave you alone, watch you, and call the zoo."

            "I see. So where is a safe place?"

            "I'll show you."

            Harry detoured his journey home over to the fields that he used to walk over when Dudley and his gang decided to play Harry Hunting. Harry headed for a brook that ran through the fields, a likely source of rats. Checking the no one was around, Harry said "Okay, we're here, and no one is around. Good hunting!"

            The snake slithered off, and Harry followed at a distance. _Damn, this snake is really good at blending in with the background. I think I should take note; this is almost as good as using magic to blend in the background. In fact it's better because you use the background to aid you, rather than simply tell a blatant lie that never fools the subconscious; like footprints coming out of no where. The grass closes in on the snake's path leaving no trail and that's without using magic._

            Harry saw a big rat scamper towards where the snake was hiding. _Finally, some action._ The snake coiled itself into a spring loaded S shape until the rat was in striking distance, and the in a blink of an eye it launched itself at the rat. And missed. By the time the snake had recovered from the fact that it had missed, it said "Sssee? We have become lazy in the zoo." By this time the rat had disappeared. So the snake went looking again. Harry got out his book, and the image resumed teaching. 

            "Using the fact that we are made up of elements, we can manipulate them. This was the first move to magic, during the caveman era. Britannia always has and always will be a wet country. It is for this reason that the first witches and wizards were first discovered in this country. When trying to start a fire with wet wood, it will obviously not light, however, under extreme emotional conditions, this unlocked the elemental awakening. This awakening gives you a sign where your elemental control originates from. For instance, for myself, mine originates from my left hand which is useful as my right hand is my wand hand, which means that I can fight with both weapons effectively. Another user, my apprentice, Merlin, has his control in his head, but finds it too distracting for really powerful control... but I digress. So the wet wood burst into flames, from focusing the emotions to the elements, thereby discovering magic, elemental magic and his elemental centre all at the same time. 

             "Normally, wandless, uncontrolled magic will happen under extreme circumstances, however if you focus all your emotion into the elements, it will cause elemental control. Wandless magic works in the same way, except that you simply have to focus on what you want to happen in detail. For instance, opening a door requires you to focus on every aspect of opening a door, from unlocking the lock and turning the handle to swinging the door open. It is for this reason that the elements are easier to control, as it is much easier to focus on what should be happening. 

             "Another interesting fact about controlling the elements is that it is not actually magic; no magic is cast, the elements are simply manipulated from your body. Causing an element to act unnaturally is using magic. An example of this is causing wood to catch fire is manipulation, making the fire form from nothing is magic."

The teacher then proceeded to move onto various methods of control and basic fighting techniques involving elements, one of which was the air blade. Eventually he brought on the first history of magic lesson, which for another first was interesting.

            "I'm now living at a cross roads in the magical world now, which caused me to write this book. Bound wand magic is becoming steadily popular with magical folk, and they are ignoring the past. Learning from rote spells and waving wands without ever really tapping into their real power. Now don't get me wrong, wands are useful for doing careful delicate work, whereas staffs are far more useful for powerful magical work. It is similar to comparing a knife to a sword. However, the method using it is entirely different. Learning a fixed or bound method reduces the versatility of magic. If you want to stun someone you have to learn a spell. If you don't know it, then it's tough luck.

             "Learning to use unbound magic or your power directly from your will is entirely different, but is only limited to your concentration, will, intelligence and imagination. A good example with the differences of bound and unbound magic is defence against Dementors. The Patronus is among one of the closest spells to unbound magic in the method it is cast, hence the power behind it, but even the most powerful Patronus will only drive them away. By using unbound magic, it is fairly easy to kill a Dementor, as you can lance the essence of a Patronus _through_ a Dementor rather than simply driving it away. Of course since the Patronus is much easier, that is now the favourite." The wizard snorted in laughter, "of course because of people being lazy, there are now those who can't even cast a Patronus.

            "Another skill that is being put out of use is wandless magic and elemental control, simply for being out of date, too taxing to use and too wild. The wizarding world is turning soft because of nearly a hundred years of peace when I smashed the dark forces led by a man calling himself Tom Marvolo Riddle; his real name was Lord Voldemort. He was a real psycho: he was a human snake with glowing red eyes. Most people were and still are so scared of him that they call him 'You-Know-Who'. Of course he was a bound wand magic user, which was how I smashed him and his forces. They use the execution curse, which is limited, that is why it is for executions only. The execution curse is another spell that is very close to unbound magic for it to work properly.

            "There are now a few who are building up their forces again, and are waiting for me to die before striking again. I just hope that I have enough time to train Merlin before it is my turn for life's next greatest adventure."

            A couple of hours had passed in tuition when Harry looked up; the snake still hadn't caught anything, so Harry was just about to call out to the snake, when he realised that he didn't know what the snakes name was. "Erm, can you just come here for a moment." The snake clearly frustrated, slithered over to him. "Er... what's your name?"

            "What do you mean?"

            "What are you called by the other snakes?"

            "Oh, we don't give each other names like you humansss do. We are generally ssolitary creaturesss, and sso we do not give each other namesss."

            "Okay, well, as you know, I'm Harry. However, as you are not solitary when you are with me, you will need a name so I can call you, just as you can call me. How about Ophelia?"

            "Ophelia iss fine."

            "Okay Ophelia, as we both know, you are not doing very well at the moment. So, what I propose is that we find a large number of the critters, and then let you loose in the middle of them, that way you can get your food, and if you miss, there is no worry about it as there is plenty more where they came from."

            "So you will take me to a plentiful food source, but let me hunt on my own? Harry, that is a wonderful idea, you give me a location of food source, and not worry about being insulted by you having to catch my prey for me. Let us go."

            Ophelia coiled herself around Harry's forearm, and Harry set off for Mrs Figg's house. Her half kneazels should be able to help. Reaching her house, Harry knocked on the door, and Mundungus answered.

            "'Ello Harry! Would yer be wantin' some second hand wands?"

            "Oh, er..." Harry was just thrown off guard by the question, "not right now Mundungus. Is Mrs Figg in?"

            "The old bat certainly is, 'owever, she's just havin' a little rat problem in't cellar."

            "Little?"

            "Well, her cats won't work in't cellar, and the rats are makin' a nuisance of themselves, nickin' food and whatnot."

            Harry smiled, "Well, I have a hungry rat eating snake on my arm, I'm sure she would be willing to try out the cellar."

            "Have yer now? Well, come on in, I'm sure that she'll be relieved to hear about that!" Mundungus commented with a toothy grin on his face. "They're huge, they give me the collywobbles!"

            Harry stepped in and heard an angry cry of "Eat the poison and die you filthy vermin!" before footsteps stomped up some stairs, before appearing in the doorway. "Who was at the door Dung? Oh hello Harry, I heard from Mundungus here about verdict. I'm just amazed that they put you in one of the criminal courts."

            "Thanks Mrs Figg, if it wasn't for you, I would have been most definitely expelled."

            "Yes, well, if it wasn't for someone leaving their watch that night, it wouldn't have been necessary..."

            "'Ere now, it seemed to be a good business venture at the time-" Mundungus butted in, indignantly.

            "What if Harry couldn't do a Patronus? He would have soulless, and then where would you have been? On the receiving end of Dumbledore's wand!"

            "But 'e was alright wer'nt 'e?"

            "But that's not the _point_" Arabella shrieked.

            "Oh stuff a sock in it you old bat. Harry's got something to 'elp you with the rats."

            "Really? Oh I'm sorry Harry; I'm still annoyed about that night. I'm amazed that the ministry bought the fact that I saw the Dementors when I didn't." she said, while glaring Mundungus.

            "It's okay Mrs Figg, it was all sorted out in the end. Anyway, I have a snake that is hungry for rats; can she go down to the cellar?"

            "A snake? Oh of course, you're a parselmouth. Yes of course she can go to the cellar. If she helps to bring my rat problem under control anything is worth a try. This way Harry."

            Arabella Figg led Harry through to the kitchen and the opened a door that led down some steps. "They're down there."

            "Do you want to go by yourself, or do you want me to go with you?" Harry asked Ophelia.

            "I will go by myself, if I need your assistance, I will call for you." she replied, uncoiling herself from Harry's arm and headed down to the cellar.

            Harry turned to Arabella, "she'll call if she needs me, so you might as well as shut the door so the rats can't escape."

            "Well," Mrs Figg said, "You might be a while, so why don't you stay here for something to eat? I'll call a few of the order to join us."

            "What about the Dursley's?"

            "I'll call them, tell them that I've got you rat hunting in the cellar, I'm sure that they'll love to hear that!"

            Harry laughed; indeed the Dursley's would love to think of Harry in a dark cellar hunting rats. They would probably want to leave him in there.

            Agreeing to Mrs Figgs suggestion, Harry turned to Mundungus as Arabella went and made the phone call, and he noticed a dangerous gleam in his eye. "What?"

            "I've 'erd 'bout yer little private session in't snake 'ouse. She any good?"

            "What!?"

            "Oh yeah, Moody was laughin' so 'ard that 'is eye fell out when 'e was tellin' us. Tonks face was priceless-"

            Mudungus was cut off when there was an excited ball of feathers collided into his head with the four letters it was carrying trying to scalp him

            "Argh! Gerroff me yer crazy owl!" Mundungus yelled, waving his arms about.

Harry reached over and snatched the owl out of the entanglement on Mundungus' head, and then removed the letters, which were all addressed to him. Shrugging, Harry tore open the first letter which Harry recognised as from Mrs Weasley:

_Harry,_

            _I am severely disappointed with you! I would have thought that you would know better than to do THAT in a public place! With Tonks no less! She is a grown woman, you are still a boy!_

            _I really had hoped that you would choose a sensible partner like Ginny, but now my instincts are too protect her from someone like yourself._

            _I will be having words with _her_ after I've sent this owl. I hope that you will see some sense. I don't want to deal with something like this ever again, especially with someone like yourself!_

_Molly Weasley_

Harry's fury grew with every single word. He hadn't done anything with Tonks! Harry viscously tore open the next letter, which was from Hermione:

_Harry,_

            _I cannot believe that that was you - it didn't sound like you at all. But please, Tonks? You can do better than that! Go for someone your own age. Look even going out with me and doing things with me is more acceptable than Tonks. It's just... ugh, no; she's older than you and... ugh_

            _Anyway, if you put as much effort into studying magic as you do Tonks, then you wouldn't have any trouble with your school work, and that is far more important than relationships. If you want a relationship and you are confused, just ask me, it would be better than doing this with Tonks._

_Love,_

_Hermione_

Harry was now confused and raging like a mad bull; his body was shaking with fury as he tore open the next letter which he recognised as being from Ginny:

_Harry,_

            _I know this isn't any of my business, but please, what on earth do you see in her? She is so clumsy and ditzy; even I would be a better choice. I do hope this has been a simple misunderstanding, but from what I can gather, you two were really getting down to it. If you simply want a relationship just ask me, it would be better than doing it with Tonks and hurting later._

_Love,_

_Ginny_

            Holding the letter, Harry remembered his lesson from earlier. Focussing his all of his boiling rage to the paper, he just wanted to burn it. Incinerate it. Torch it. His thoughts making his rage glow white hot, his forehead seemed to click something into place, causing a blaze momentarily, before moving down his face, diverging at his shoulders, travelling down his arms to his fingertips and the letter exploded in a momentary fireball and then there was nothing left of the letter and Harry's fury. The sheer surprise caused the thing that clicked into place move out of place again.

            "Bloody hell!" said Harry, Mundungus and Mrs Figg as the same time.

            Harry groaned, realising that the book he used was very old, the Ministry would surely notice anything unusual, elemental control must be old hat to them by now. Harry banged his head on the wall. "Great... just what I need, another hearing for accidental magic."

            "Oh don't worry about that!" Mrs Figg said confidently, "it was accidental magic, they'll just send someone round to make sure that no one was hurt and no one needed obliviating."

            Harry breathed a sigh of relief. At least there would be no court this time. His rage dissipated for the moment, Harry opened the final letter which was scrawled out and could only mean it was from Ron:

_Hi Harry!_

            _Great work with Tonks! When were you gonna tell me that you and Tonks were an item? Let me know..._

            Harry's eyes widened at Ron's request for certain details of information that he had only been told about in stories. The idea that he had... Harry blushed furiously at the thought. But what had caused all this... Mad-Eye! It must have been!

            "Mundungus, just what did Mad-Eye say about me and Tonks?" Harry asked slowly and dangerously.

            "Oh, 'e were tellin' us 'bout yer fling with Tonks, 'ow you removed 'er clothes an' the state 'e found yer in."

Harry's fury was slowly rising again like a giant furnace.

            Just then, a second owl swooped in with yet another letter. Untying it, Harry scanned down to see who it came from; it was a short note from Tonks:

_Harry,_

            _I've just had Molly trying to strangle me because of 'corrupting' you. Moody was drunk and 'exaggerated' the story to some others at the time, trying to embarrass me to get back at me embarrassing him yesterday at the zoo. It seems that there were a few 'listeners' and took it as gospel truth, and then the Chinese whispers took effect._

            _I realise that this may be an inopportune time to tell you this, but I can honestly say to you though, that I felt safe and secure in your arms. I don't know if we should pursue that avenue or not because I don't know how you feel, nor do know what to do about everyone else as well._

            _Please write back soon,_

_Love,_

_Nymph_

            Harry raised an eyebrow. Okay... this was getting weird. He needed to think about what was going on. Just then a _crack_ resounded from the living room and familiar voices floated through to the kitchen.

            "Where is he?"

            "Our champion hero!"

            "The youngest seeker in a century!"

            "And the only one brave enough to take on an Auror's love life!"

            "Whereeeeee's Harry?"

            "Hi Fred, George," Harry called out to them dully, before an idea sparked to life

            "Hey here's lover boy-"

            Harry cut them off with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. "Listen I don't want to listen to any fake story. What I want to know is do you have any dangerous pranks that need testing? I have the perfect candidate."

            "No I'm afraid not, why, did you have something in mind?"

            "Hmmm... How about a charm grenade?"

            "What's a grenade?"

            "It's a muggle handheld explosive; you simply have it on you until you need it. Then you simply pull out the safety ring and then it either counts down or explodes on impact if you throw it."

            "Oh, so it's like an enhanced dung bomb, except that it will blast the specified curse in every direction..." the twins looked at each other evilly, saying "We'll be in contact soon!" in unison before disappearing with a crack.

            "Was that wise?" Mrs Figg asked when the twins left.

            "For my revenge at Moody? Of course! Anyway, where's the Ministry? I thought that they'd be here now."

            "Well I've just called the Arthur asking him to bring some of the Order over later. Maybe he could find something out?"

            "Good idea, where do you keep your floo powder?"

             "Oh no, I'm not on the floo here. Use the phone."

             "Phone?"

             "Yes, Arthur Weasley has been working on one that would work in magical places ever since I needed an instant communication after last year's fiasco." Mrs Figgs voice sharpened as she glared daggers at Mundungus who pointedly ignored her. "He seemed to get the idea after visiting a phone shop; he's been experimenting with it so he will be glad of someone else to try it."

            Curious, Harry went into the hall and saw a mobile phone. On closer examination there were three visible buttons marked "call", "receive" and "end call". Pressing the call button, Harry brought the phone up to his ear and a cool woman's voice much like the ministry's phone voice sounded out. "Please state who you wish to call."

             "Arthur Weasley." Harry said clearly, before being subjected to the worst thing that could ever happen to a phone. The cool voice constantly sounded out "Calling Arthur Weasley. Please wait." Over and over and over again.

            Eventually, the voice stopped and was replaced with a friendly voice. "Hello Arabella!"

             "Er, Mr Weasley? It's Harry."

             "Oh, sorry Harry, I wasn't expecting anyone else using my new phone system. What do you think?"

             "Erm… how about getting rid of the ringing voice?"

             "Sorry?"

             "Just have a ringing tone; it is far less annoying than someone telling you to wait all the time."

             "Are you sure?" asked Mr Weasley doubtfully.

             "Try it and see. Just make sure it is a quiet tone that won't annoy people up, but at the same time assure them that the phone is ringing."

             "Hmmm… I'll try that. Maybe Arabella won't be as irate by the time I pick up the call."

Harry laughed before asking, "Has there been any accidental magic alarms set off at the Ministry?"

            "Nope not a thing, why?"

            "I accidentally burned a letter-"

            "Oh no, Molly sent you letter didn't she?  I _told_ her to not to say anything as it wasn't any of our business. I'm so sorry Harry."

            "Well... it wasn't just Mrs Weasley. It was Hermione and Ginny as well. It's not their fault. Mad-Eye was drunk and exaggerated what was going on."

            "Why, what did go on?"

            "Nothing, I hugged her while I was talking to the snakes so it looked like I was whispering to her, rather than me debating with the snakes."

            "I knew that something was wrong with what Moody told me, it just didn't sound like you." Arthur sighed, "And now the three of them have put their foot in it... oh well, I suppose I'd better correct them."

            "Actually Mr Weasley, don't bother. If they are willing to jump to conclusions then let them, it will teach them a lesson of 'look before you leap'. I also want them to learn to keep their noses out of my private life."

            "Well, if you're sure then okay. Just one second. Amelia, has there been any underage accidental magic today?"

            Harry heard muffled "No, why, do you think we should have?"

            "I was just checking if something was a prank or accidental at home; it's obviously a prank though to give Ron a heart attack. Thanks Amelia"

            Harry heard a few short footsteps and a door close before Arthur spoke again, "I take it you heard that Harry, so whatever happened it was either someone else or you have cast undetectable magic, which is of course impossible. But at least you aren't being put on trial. Anyway I'll see you later. Arabella, invited me and some of the others so we'll see you then."

            "Okay Mr Weasley, see you later" Harry replied before pressing 'End Call'.

            Harry realised an important fact. The Ministry couldn't detect elemental manipulations! The remainder of this summer had just turned into fun!


	4. 04 Whirlwind of Confusion

AN: Okay, I've had a couple of concerns about the previous chapter:

1. Drunk Moody: This was brought to my attention from something that my mind simply slipped in. As such you are going to be left with the mother of all cliff hangers.

2. Mrs Weasley, Hermy and Ginny letters: I'm gonna have them eating very large portions of humble pie, and leave Harry's love life alone permanently. If you want to understand Mrs Weasley's reaction was her motherly instinct kicking in to protect her only daughter and youngest child. "Blood is thicker than water" as the saying goes.

Now, onwards to the story!

**Chapter 4**

**Whirlwind of Confusion**

            Harry returned to the Dursley's later that night. He had been sorely teased so much he was certain he could have torched the house down. But he didn't, he was saving up those torments for when he got home. Ophelia on the other hand was all round happy; she had honed the art of striking again and she was full. Currently she was dozing contentedly on Harry's arm. Ophelia had given Harry the perfect excuse to leave the house of torment, so he seized the chance. After all who was going to argue with the world's deadliest groggiest snake who had just mastered accurate biting?

            Finally getting into his room ignoring the sniggers of the Dursley's, Harry let Ophelia curl up on the bed and sleep, while he took out the book of magic and started the first lesson again. Eventually, Harry had the idea of what to do, and his favourite weapon mentioned so far was the Air Blade, so for his first time Harry focused his thoughts and emotions into his temple.

            Suddenly he felt the connection to the elements click into place and the wind gathered in his mind so rapidly it wasn't long before a breeze turned into something akin to a hurricane; tearing and raging too get out. Harry tried to calm the tempest but to no avail, he couldn't remember how, the raging storm was distracting his focus too much. Blindly, Harry ran out of his room, just wanting to get out into a wide open space. 

            The next thing Harry knew was that a tornado was being released from his forehead, raging winds tearing at would be enemies. Harry could feel an exhilarating release; it was sucking all of his anger and frustration out of himself into the hurricane. This went on for some considerable time until there was no more anger, so it changed its source to the only emotion Harry felt by now, peace. With this the storm quickly dissipated. It was the oddest moment of Harry's life so far. He felt... nothing... wait... he could actually feel a slight emotion, and it wasn't his... Ever so slightly Harry could feel his scar ever so slightly twinge in his mind, something he would never of felt under normal circumstances. This had to be none other than the mental link between himself and Voldemort.

            Gently, Harry mentally prodded the link. A wave of hate flooded back at him, the link straining against something that was usually causing the pain. Not this time however. Harry's connection to the wind was still active, and it was simply siphoning off the extra emotions that came through the link. Harry laughed in realisation that Voldemort was not really hurting him. Boldly, Harry delved towards source of all of the hate and pain, and pushed through link. Harry immediately felt contaminated and filthy. Voldemorts mind was the darkest and filthiest thing he had ever encountered; it really did put Dementors to shame. They seemed positively clean and hygienic compared to this filth.

            Unsure what to do, Harry thought that some light would help to clean up this mess. Concentrating, Harry thought of light. A flicker of light appeared and disappeared with the shock that Harry felt when he saw the images of Voldemorts mind; it was making him feel nauseous just thinking about it. Suddenly he felt himself being pushed back, through the link, back into calmness. Harry opened his eyes that he didn't even realise was closed. Taking a few deep breaths to try and stem the nauseating feeling and fighting a wave of tiredness that just swept over him, Harry finally realised that he was in that middle of a violently windswept mountainous region. Looking around Harry saw in the distance something flying towards him.

            "Harry!" a familiar voice faintly yelled.

            Harry recognised the voice immediately. It was Tonks, who was following something fairly small. Harry tiredly waved his arm. He felt exhausted as if he had just ran ten marathons straight, he knew that initially that using the elements would tired him, but to a point that he just wanted to curl up here and sleep? This was…

            Darkness overtook him, just as he heard a frantic Tonks shouting "Harry! Stay with me Harry!"

--------========--------

            "Can you tell me what happened to Harry?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

            Harry pondered this question. He didn't have enough energy to do anything yet, he was psyching himself up for the tremendous strain of opening his eyes. What did happen to him? Harry remembered trying to calm the tempest in his mind, before being unable realising that he was unable to do anything to it, so he wanted to get outside… no he wanted to get to a wide open space… wrenching the door open, and rushing blindly out he nearly hit the wall several times at a violent speed only to be buffeted by a gust of wind keeping him from harm, then falling... or flying down the stairs, only to be stopped from hitting the floor by blasts of wind, and finally flinging him out into the street, where…

            "Not really, as I'm not sure myself." Replied a concerned Tonks, "I'd just apperated in when I had gotten word of Harry leaving Arrabella's. I'd just got myself comfy watching the house when Harry flew out of the door…"

            "On his broom I assume?" Dumbledore interrupted.

            "No, it was as if he was just thrown out of the house, but he never hit the floor though, 'cos a whirlwind took him away. So I went and got my broom, went inside and found his owl, and asked her to find Harry. I followed her for about 200 miles, where I found him in the Pennines. He waved at me getting my attention before slipping into unconsciousness. I used the portkey you gave him to get him home and used his owl to get you. Other than that, I have no idea what happened. Do you think it could've been You-Know-Who?"

            "I doubt it, but we can't rule out the possibility after all. Voldemort would have made sure that he would have been killed. Was there anyone around where you found him?"

            "Nothing. It was just really windswept, which was understandable considering that he had just been transported by a whirlwind, but other than that, there was nothing for miles. Not even animals, it was completely desolate."

            What had happened when he got there? Harry remembered the exhilarating feeling of release, the pouring out of all his anger and frustration and the calmness. And the scar. Harry remembered the influx of hate with it being redirected to the wind which he still had a connection to. Harry quickly severed that still active link before it caused any damage wherever he was. Harry resumed his thoughts. Then stopped again. Voldemorts mind was something he did not want to see for a long time. A very long time. In fact he never wanted to see it ever again. Period. The images came to his minds eye unbidden, flashing before him. Harry groaned. That was _sick_!

            The people surrounding Harry were startled at this noise, and Harry heard the movement of chairs and people moving closer. Professor Dumbledore spoke again, "Harry, can you hear me?"

            _Well, the cat's out of the bag now. _"Yes sir." Harry rasped out, his mouth drier than a desert in a drought. _What the hell? I wasn't that bad before passing out!_

            "Good, drink this."

            Harry felt a cup being pressed against his lips. Harry gulped down the refreshing potion which didn't even taste that bad. Immediately Harry could feel his body being revitalised, his strength returning to him. Harry's eyes flickered open and blurred figures were around him. Groping for his glasses on the bedside table, Harry felt them and put them on, his room came back into focus.

            "What happened to you Harry?" asked Dumbledore seriously, peering into his eyes.

            Harry knew this meant the Leglimens was being cast. Harry didn't want _anyone_ peering into his mind just at that moment… Occulmency… blank his mind? How? An image from Voldemorts head flickered before him. _No!_ The voice in his head shouted from the back of his mind. The image flickered some more and but then came back stronger. _NO! GET OUT! NO ONE SHOULD SEE THAT!_ The image winked out, and Dumbledore came back into focus looking shocked and a sickening green. "Excuse me." Was all Dumbledore managed to mumble before leaving the room. The sound of retching could be heard from the bathroom. A few minutes later Dumbledore returned before standing in front of Harry again, this time looking extremely pale.

            "Harry," Dumbledore asked tentatively, "what was that image?"

            "Voldemorts mind after I shone a flicker of light." Harry mumbled.

            "You went through the link?"

            "Yes sir."

            "Do I even need to ask you not to do that again?"

            "Definitely not sir. Although Voldemort did not seem to-"

            Harry never finished the sentence as an angry looking Professor Snape stormed into the room. "Professor! I need a word immediately!"

            "Then speak Severus."

            Professor Snape looked disdainfully at Harry. "Sir, it's about the Dark Lord."

            "I repeat, speak. We are all on the light side here."

            Reluctantly, with Snape glaring at Harry, Snape said, "Something has happened to Dark Lord. He was clutching his head cursing Potters name and screaming in agony."

            "Thank you Severus, I think we know what caused that. Harry here had a mental war with Voldemort, and I think that it produced some interesting wandless magical effects on Harry's behalf.

            "Thank you Harry, I will not keep you any longer. Tonks, I believe that you are still on duty for the next few hours."

            "That's right sir."

            "Very well, I shall leave the Dursley's in your hands. Come Severus." Dumbledore finished before Professor Snape and himself disapperated.

            Tonks looked and Harry before sweeping him up in a hug that he wasn't expecting. "I was so worried about you! What happened to you?"

            Harry considered this for a moment. For some reason, he was torn, on one hand he didn't want anyone to know about the elemental control, and yet he felt that he needed someone who was with him who he could confide in. Owl post could read by anyone, so telling Ron and Hermione was out of the question. However Tonks was someone who he liked... a lot. Could he trust her though? "Tonks, can I trust you to keep a secret. I don't want anyone else to know, not even Professor Dumbledore."

            "Then why tell me if it's such a big secret?"

            "For one thing I think that I may need help with what I'm doing."

            "Okay Harry, I'll keep it secret, but if things involve heavy dark arts then I'm gonna have to bring in Dumbledore."

            "That shouldn't be a problem. Okay, what happened was that I was trying to control the wind element."

            "Controlling the elements? That's impossible!"

            "Just a tick." Harry swung himself out of bed when he realised that he was only wearing his cousin's boxers and t-shirt. In front of Tonks. In. Front. Of. Tonks. Realisation hit him causing a war in his body for the fight for blood. On one hand the blood wanted to rapidly leave his head to bring to life another body function, and on the other hand the blood wanted to flood his head for a competition of the world's brightest blush. In the confusion, his body seized up.

            Seeing Harry's body grind to a halt in mid motion, Tonks grabbed hold of his arms and leaned into Harry, looking into his eyes with concern. Harry's short circuited system was jump started the moment that Tonks did this simple gesture. He didn't hear what she said. She was wearing her baggy Weird Sister's t-shirt. This said t-shirt, being designed for people of the size of Dudley, that is, people with extremely large body size, and Tonks didn't have a large body. Quite the opposite in fact, causing the t-shirt to fall away from her body. Another... asset of the said t-shirt was the neck of it. Obviously being designed for large people, the neck also fell away from Tonks slender neck, giving Harry a view straight down her top. Harry learned that day something he would never forget about Tonks; she didn't wear a bra.

            Harry's body shorted out again from fighting for blood dominance, but not before issuing a groan. Tonks followed his line of sight and then realised what he had seen. With an evil grin she scrunched up her eyes in concentration. Harry's eyes widened as he saw her boobs swell in size. And they kept growing. And growing. Quickly all he could see was the enticing cleavage. However Harry was no longer focusing on her, his attention had turned towards his own chest. And two sharp points pressing into him. Tonks opened her eyes looking intently at Harry with an evil smirk. His eyes had glazed over; she shook her now oversized chest to see the response. That did it for Harry, the feel of those particular sharp points scrape over his chest. All of his blood fled his vital body parts, destined to gather in one place. Reason and instinct battled for supremacy. Reason won, causing Harry to jump back onto the bed but being knocked flat on his back from his knees catching the edge of the bed.

            Tonks sniggered at this, remarking "Well, that's where I want you!"

            Harry groaned at the thought before grinding out "Tonks, we can't do this; it isn't right."

            "Who says it isn't right Harry? Is it you who says that or is it everyone else?"

            "It's… everyone else."

            "Why does it matter what they think? It isn't you who matters? You make your own decisions. You have to decide what's best for you. Not someone else. Sure people can advise you, but it's your decision. Don't be a follower Harry, be your own man. If people don't like you because you don't fit into their own category as ideal, then they aren't worth knowing."

            Harry quickly sat up and dived for his clothes, "please turn around Tonks." Tonks moaned and muttered about life being "so unfair" and begrudgingly turned around and Harry quickly threw on his jeans. While he was getting dressed though, he was considering what she said. Harry could see where she was going with all of this. Sure he didn't have a problem with her reasoning; he did have one concern from his experience with Cho. "Okay Tonks, you can turn around now. Now as for what you were saying… I'm gonna need more time; I'm not quite sure what is going on with my last girlfriend-"

            "Oh really? Who was she?"

            "Oh, I doubt you know her…"

            "Go on, I might surprise you."

            "It's a girl in Ravenclaw called Cho Chang."

            Tonks gawped, "you didn't!"

            "Didn't what?"

            "You went out with Cho! She was my replacement!"

            "What?"

            "I was in my seventh year at Hogwarts when you arrived in your first year, and that year I was training Cho Chang to be my replacement as seeker. I was looking forward to playing against you in the last match, but you had that business with Voldemort and the Philosopher's Stone, so I won the match quite easily without you there, which was a shame cos I was looking forward to a challenge that year – I didn't have one for a few years, except against Slytherin, where I always had to watch my back instead of watching out for the snitch instead." Tonks finished sounding glum. "She was really moody she was, and very clingy always wanting to be the centre of the universe. I bet she wasn't that much fun to be with, eh?"

            "Not really, especially when her last boyfriend was Cedric."

            "Cedric?"

            "Cedric Diggory, the other Hogwarts Triwizard Champion."

            "Amos' son… Ah."

            "Yeah, 'ah' is the word for it indeed. I used to have a crush on Cho, and she knew it, and I think she had a belief that my life," Harry laughed humourlessly while sweeping his hand around his room, "was very glamorous. She has no concept of loyalty whatsoever, she would rather stick up for her friend who is disloyal rather than be loyal. I think that she tried to spark some jealously on the way back home on the train by being with someone else. Heh, it didn't work."

            "So does that mean that you are still seeing Cho or not?"

            "I don't think we are, since we have… drifted apart more than anything else. I have no desire to be with her, or anyone else just yet. It's just so confusing, and there is no guide of what you are supposed to do."

            Tonks laughed at this, "Harry, there is a reason why no one tells you what to do!"

            Harry wrinkled his nose in confusion, "what?"

            "Harry, a relationship is all about discovering about each other, finding out about that other person in such detail that they become a part of you, you both share your secrets, so the two of you can become one fluid unit. There is no right or wrong in a relationship, it's all about give, take and compromise."

            "So, if that person is not in your eyes the centre of your universe you shouldn't even contemplate a relationship?"

            "Pretty much."

            "But how do know if that person is the centre of your universe without having a relationship first?"

            "That is the risk you have to take, you have to rely on your own feelings to actually guide you in the first place."

            "But what if you make a mistake of liking the wrong person like I did?"

            "Then you accept your mistakes and move on. I take it that you and Cho weren't that close at school?"

            "Nope, she was mainly in control of things, I didn't have a clue what was going on most of the time."

            "Then I expect it's not really a wrench for you to move on then?"

            "No, I've moved on, it's just that I need to sort out my own feelings at the moment, I mean I've got to sort out myself, Cho, and Sirius..." Harry finished in a whisper, but Tonks caught every single word. Harry's resolve hardened, as did the feelings around his heart.

            "Tonks, you have to realise that out of my own stupidity I wasted Sirius' life. I had the means of contacting Sirius and checking up on him without gallivanting across the entire country, only to find out I had been fed false information as a trap to get me do something for Voldemort, and I had been warned that it could well be a trap."

            "Everyone makes mistakes lad. The trick is to learn from them." A gruff voice said from the doorway. "Anyway Nymphadora, I've got a bone to pick with you."

            "My name is **_Tonks_**!" Tonks growled out.

            "Getting me in the back with a Confundus hex when I was washing my eye, and then changing my flask of water with a flask of Fire Whiskey is **_not funny_**!"

            "You mean you forced Mad-Eye to get drunk? Why?" Harry asked incredulously.

            "Cos I thought it would be funny, unfortunately it back fired on me and embarrassed the two of us."

            "Yeah, well, there is still the matter of the Auror's honour to uphold. People classify me as a liar and a hypocrite--"

            "Why a hypocrite?" Harry interjected.

            "CONSTANT VIGILENCE!" Moody roared. Harry understood then; 'practice what you preach' was in effect. "Anyway, as I was saying," Mad-Eye straighten, took out his wand and conjured a wooden staff out of thin air, before embedding it into the floor keeping both hands on it before reciting "Nymphadora Tonks, my honour has been breeched by yourself, therefore the challenge of the honour of Aurors as laid down by the First Auror, I lay before you, Nymphadora Tonks, now. The penalty is death or of being under the Imperious curse for 24 hours upon yielding is now in effect. By the rights of the challenged, you choose the time and the weapons." A glow surrounded the staff by the time Moody finished his recital.

            Tonks stood stiffly before conjuring her own staff, planting it besides to Moody's. "I accept your challenge Alastor Moody, and I choose the Wand and the Staff as the weapons of choice. We shall start now, for the next twenty four hours until we die with honour, yield or draw. If we draw then we both have our honour without any penalties, as our magical bond dictates." Tonks staff was now glowing too, mingling with Moody's staff.

             "Very well, we just need a referee." Moody growled out. 

             "I choose Harry Potter as our referee."

             "I agree, Harry, will you referee our fight for Honour?"

            Harry was sat in a daze, unsure what was happening, being brought into this was... unexpected. "Wha- what do I have to do?"

             "Make sure that whatever we do isn't dishonourable, otherwise that's instant disqualification."

             "Can someone also explain to me what is going on?"

             "Sure, Moody and myself are Aurors, that means that we are bound by magic to uphold honour. Death Eaters and the like have no honour, thus we deal with them. However, if one of our own dishonours us, we are to sort it out by the rules laid out by the first Auror. Therefore he has every right to challenge me since I have caused him to be dishonoured. Now, will you be our referee?"

             "Err, sure." The mingling glows around the staff shot out and touched Harry, and he found his self standing up stiffly saying 

             "I, Harry James Potter will referee over the fight of honour between Nymphadora Tonks and Alastor Moody." Harry then took the staffs, one in each hand, and held them up. "The fight starts at the Aurors settlement arena now!"

            Harry brought down the two staffs, hitting the floor, causing all three of them to disappear. Harry felt himself sliding though the air to where ever the destination was.

            They came to a smooth stop, which surprised Harry, as most wizarding methods of travel were nauseating to say the least. Harry looked around. They had arrived at some forsaken cliff by the sea, with the sea raging at the cliffs trying to tear it down and a strong wind whipped around them. Loose rocks littered the grassy cliff making it precarious wherever Harry stood. Harry didn't have long to contemplate the landscape before the glow surround the staffs took over Harry's body again. Tonks and Moody faced each other for their duel, wands at the ready. Harry raised the staff and swung them down crying out "fight!"

            Harry watched in amazement as hexes and curses flew at each of the opponents who were constantly ducking, diving and rolling out of the way. The biggest surprise was Mad-Eye Moody who was moving in anticipation of the curses in firing back hexes whilst moving out of the way of spells barely missing him. Harry figured that this method of moving very little must come from years of experience.

            Tonks on the other hand was using a very unorthodox method of fighting. She would fall while trying to dodge the spells for what ever reason, tripping over the rocks, slipping on them or just plain turning way to quick. Whatever the reason it was infuriating Moody as his entire barrage of well aimed hexes weren't hitting their intended target. Obviously his experience only covered people who had mastered moving their bodies. 

            All in all Harry saw that it was an even match. With Tonks and Moody constantly moving about Harry was slowly moving backwards so to stay out of the way of the spells hurtling through the air.

            Unfortunately Harry took one small step back too far, only to realise that he was not only at the edge of the cliff, but he was also losing his balance going over the cliff. Harry swung his arms forward to balance himself while giving a cry of surprise. The weight of the staffs easily countered his backward fall. Levelling himself out he looked over his shoulder at the sea, and breathed a sigh of relief while looking back towards the fight, only to freeze in place due to shear horror of what was going to happen.

            The two duelling Aurors had completely forgotten about the referee, so when they heard a cry of surprise, they both instinctively sent a barrage of spells towards the noise only to freeze with a look of horror on their faces as ten beams of light flew towards Harry who had just regained his balance from nearly falling over the cliff.

            Harry felt the impact of the spells flipping his body right over the cliff, releasing the staffs in the process. Using his instincts and his seeker sharp reflexes, Harry managed to grab the cliff edge, his body slamming into the cliff face causing him to nearly let go of his existing loose grip of the edge.

            "Err. I need a bit of help here!" Harry yelled.

            No answer, there was no noise except that of the wind and the sea.

            "Help!" Harry yelled.

            Still no answer. Harry realised that they had both must have been knocked out by their wayward spells when he distracted them. He was on his own. Just then Harry heard the sea go unusually quiet. Harry glanced over his shoulder and froze. 

            There was a wave the size of the cliff heading straight for him. If that wasn't enough Harry's scar burst with pain, by instinct Harry nearly let go of the cliff to clutch his forehead, although he didn't let go the slight movement reduced his existing poor grip. Cursing his rotten luck, Voldemort, stupid Auror Duels, Voldemort, crazy weather and Voldemort, Harry could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness, his grip slipping from the edge and the tidal wave bearing down on him.

            A moment of realisation hit him in this desperate situation. Life sucked being Harry Potter.


End file.
